Universal Sets ‘42’ Star Chadwick Boseman To Play James Brown

BREAKING: Universal Pictures has found its James Brown. They’ve set Chadwick Boseman, who just played iconic Brooklyn Dodgers second baseman Jackie Robinson in 42. The Help‘s Tate Taylor is directing the film. Imagine Entertainment‘s Brian Grazer is producing the film with another musical icon, Mick Jagger. The film will be a co-production between Jagged Films, based on a screenplay by Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth. Grazer and Jagger will produce along with Jagged’s Victoria Pearman and Imagine’s Erica Huggins. Universal signed on recently. The story charts a young boy’s rise from extreme poverty and violence to become The Godfather Of Soul, one of the most influential black artists in history whose career spanned six decades. Grazer started the project at a time when the singer himself was an active part in its development, before he died in late 2006.